SHALOM

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter Year C John 14:27-31a "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you." The gospel is reminding us that if we want to look for genuine peace seek it in Christ. Peace cannot be find in this world. Pleasure is not the answer for peace. Fame is not the solution to peace. Power is not the password of peace. Drugs is not the medicine of peace. Look for it with Jesus. The peace that Jesus promises is not an escape from trouble. It is an avoidance from unpleasant things in life but believing and trusting in Jesus. Lord, help us to seek the peace that will bring us eternal joy in this changing world. Peace is relationship with Jesus. If we have Him, life has no worries and without anxieties. Jesus is the peace! Simply put, peace is not the absence of trouble but the presence of Jesus. Let me suggest three important proposals for us to experience serenity and tranquility of the soul. First, make it a habit to pray. Connection to Jesus leads to inner peace. Second, dettach from earthly desires. Friends, let go of your inordinate attachments. The less we have, the peaceful our life will be. Finally, do good and keep doing it. Goodness is the door of peace. May the peace of Christ be with you always. Live in peace. Blessings Fr. Jhack

LOVE IS A VERB

Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter Year C John 14:21-26 My attention was drawed to this line of the gospel. “Whoever loves me keeps my word.” Our Gospel directly reminding us that love is best express when its proven by action. It means when we love someone, do not just say it but also do action to prove your love ; for love is a verb not an adjective. Love is a verb! When you say it, do it. Simply put, love is not just a lips service. Love is not about how much we say ‘I love you’ but how much we can prove that it is true. Nowadays, any person can say that they love you but only few can prove it. In the same manner, loving God means keeping His commandments. If we love the Lord we should keep His ordinances. We are reminded that whoever observes the commandments of God is the one who loves Him. Friends, if we love the Lord we should refrain from doing wicked things. If you love the Lord stop hurting your partner, stop hurting your family, stop hurting people around you. If you love the Lord be honest and cease from spreading fake news. If you love the Lord, do what pleases Him. Today, we are challenge to prove our love for Him through our loyalty and obedience. Friends, love what the Lord loves. Finally, we are reminded to cast away our worries because Jesus promise a paraclete to teach and reminds us of everything. The Holy Spirit is the Advocate that God has sent to help us and to support us. The Holy Spirit too help us to carry out the will of God. Blessings Fr. Jhack

LOVE IS WHO WE ARE

Fifth Sunday of Easter Year C John 13:31-33a,34-35 In today's gospel we hear Jesus's commandment. “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” Friends, LOVE is our mark and identity. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." Do we really demonstrate the love of God to others? You know what, today we are reminded that we have the responsibility to show to the world who we are by loving one another. Friends, learn to love well! Why do we need to love? For three reasons: First, love is the weakness of the enemy. When we love the devil trembles. When we love, we can transform our enemies. When we love, we can change the world. Love will make all things beautiful. Second, we need to love because love, can make all things beautiful. Love is the force that makes an earth a heavenly paradise. “There shall be no more death or mourning, crying out of pain, for the world that was, has passwd away.” Folks, love makes a world a happy and perfect place to live in. Today and forever, love without conditions. If we really love others, then let us love them without terms and conditions because it is a love not a bussiness contract. Friends, love without limit for love has no expiration date. Finally, when we love expect some troubles and persecutions. “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” But do not be afraid for love is the greatest conquerors. It conquer all obstacles and defies all storms. Friends, the beauty of love will lead us to our salvation and of the salvation of others. Start to love the way God loves. Blessings Fr. Jhack

REMAIN IN GOD’S LOVE

Saturday of the Fifth week of Easter Feast of St. Matthias John 15:9-17 When I was a seminarian, I remember what our Italian formator told us. He is telling that during their time there were three major requirements for priesthood. Number one, you should be BELLE, second you must be BENE and third BRAVI. Its an Italian words meaning: BELLE-you should be good-looking BENE-you must be smart and intelligent BRAVI-strong and brave. Inshort, the definition of best are belle, bene and bravi. Priesthood is giving your BEST to God. Looking at myself with all these three basic requirements, I felt I am not qualified. Im not the personification of BEST. Im not a good looking guy, Im not the smartest one and I don’t possess the virtue of courage. However today’s gospel is clearly telling me, I was called not because I am the best but because I am loved. I was ordained not because I am good but because of God’s grace and love. Love is the completeness of joy. Jesus is telling me today, Fr. Jhack I called you because I love you. I choose you so that your joy may be complete. Friends, life is not complete without God’s love. Remain in His love and let us share this joy by loving one another. Blessings Fr. Jhack

DON’T WORRY

Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter Year C John 14:1-6 In this world filled with so much worries and anxieties concerns, Jesus tells us to have trust and faith in Him. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God.” What are worries you right now? What are your fears? Have faith; give to Jesus your worries for He will take care of it. Give all your worries to God and sleep. Jesus is the comfort for troubled hearts. With Jesus everything will be okay. 99% of the things you worry about does not happen. Worry is a misuse of imagination. Worry ends when faith in God begins. The gospel too is reminding us that earth is not our lasting home. There is a better place than where we are now. We are not meant to stay here forever. We are only pilgrims travelling temporarily on this planet called earth. Canada nor Philippines are not are real home. We made better than that. Friends, heaven is our final destiny. It is our true home. God built a home for us. A home not made by human hands. We are destined for a blessed wonderful future because Jesus will come again and take us to himself. Folks, the deepest and greatest desire of Jesus is to take us with Him. ”I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.” God wanted to bring us back to the original place where we came from-HEAVEN. To reach this beautiful paradise, let us put our faith and trust in Him. Worry no more because He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Blessings Fr. Jhack

SERVING IS BLESSING

Thursday within the Fourth week of Easter Year C John 13:16-20 Christ invites us to serve. Friends, we are not here for ourselves but for others. Like Jesus our mission is to serve not to be served. Our calling is to make our world great by serving one another. Jesus is the master but He shows the great example by washing the feet of his disciples. We are called to do the same! Election is over and we have choosen our public servants. Take note we called our government officials “public servants” not leaders because their positions are office to render service. They are public servant servants because like Jesus they desire to serve and not to collect revenues for self promotion. To serve means to actualized the meaning of love. Service is putting love in action. We pray that our newly elected public servants will truly become men and women of service. Today’s gospel reminds us that position and power are opportunities to “bend-down” to wash what is dirty. We cannot serve if we don’t have the humility to bend. Friends, let us avoid eleveating ourselves to the pedestal of self promotion. Instead, let us exalt the virtue of humility by following the splendid example shown by Jesus himself. “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” Let me end my reflection by saying: there is blessing in serving. Blessings Fr. Jhack

JESUS IS THE LIGHT

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter Year C John 12:44-50 The struggle between the powers of light and darkness dominate in John’s gospel. Friends amidst of these two opposites the desire of God for us is for us to live in the light. Choosing to live in the light brightens other people’s way. Folks, those who lives the light will make clear the reality of God in the world. If we truly accept and believe what Jesus teaches, there should be some evidence in our lives of that belief. Mother Teresa once said: “Words which do not give the light of Christ, increases the darkness.” How to spread the light? First, believe in Jesus for He is the light Himself. Second, shine your light because we are design to brighten the darkness of the unbelievers. Let your kindness shine so that all nations on earth may praise the Lord. Third, we must pass through the darkness to reach the light. Life has ups and downs. It does not have to be perfect to be wonderful. Our experience of pandemic is telling us that this world is not perfect but God is. We will surely have valley of darkness but don’t be scared of it for within us is the light of a thousand suns. Let us make this as our mantra today: this little light of mine, I am gonna let it shine. Blessings Fr. Jhack

BELONG, BELIEVE, LISTEN

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter Year C John 10:22-30 “My sheep hear my voice. I know them and they follow me.” To follow Jesus is not easy. Why? Because we need to listen to him. In today’s gospel the Jews did not believe on Jesus for two reasons. First, they are not listening. Friends, it is difficult to convince people who are not listening. It is hard to persuade people who does not like to listen. Second, the Jews refused to believe because they were not his sheep. They don’t belong to the flock. You know what, it is a challenge to convince someone who does not belong to your group. Belongingness is believing. Today we are challenged to listen, to believe and be part of the flock. Why? Because eternal life is reserve only for those who believe. Eternal life is not difficult fo those who are listening. Conclusion: BBL- Belong, Believe and Listen. Be part of God’s flock. Accept Him and hear his voice. Are part of the flock? Do you believe that he is the Messiah? To whom are you listening? Blessings Fr. Jhack

JESUS IS THE GATE

Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter Year C John 10:1-10 The gospel reminds us that there are two kinds of shepherds: the true and the fake. What’s the difference between the two? True shepherd enters the right gate. The true shepherd is the good shepherd because he knows, he cares and willing to die for his sheeps. The false shepherd on the otherhand are like the strangers. They climb over the door of greed , ambition and manipulations to steal. Fake shepherds are motivated by money. He don’t care about the sheep. He is only after of himself. He destroys and scatters the flock. Today as you exercise your civil right to vote, be mindful of your choice. Make it sure you are not choosing a fake one! Friends if your shepherds know you; that shepherd will care for you and willing to die for you. It means he is a good one. You are blessed to gifted with that shepherd. But if your shepherds are the cause of division and motivated by income and money, they’re fake. Beware of them. Fake shepherd’s plan is only to destroy and to steal but the true shepherds mission is give life and abundance. Today, vote wisely and prayerfully. Today, Jesus is reminding us that He is the gate. “I am the gate.” My dear friends let us choose Jesus. Be watchful because wrong gate leads to a wrong destinations. Let us chose Jesus because He is the access towards prosperity and abundance. Choose Jesus because He is the password towards unlimited blessings. Listen to Jesus and run away from strangers. Jesus is the GATE He is the GUIDE He is GENTLE Are we among the flock? Blessings Fr. Jhack

WHAT MAKES A SHEPHERD GOOD?

Fourth Sunday of Easter Good Shepherd Sunday John 10:27-30 There are 3 good qualities that makes a shepherd good. 3L’s. First, a good shepherd is a person of LOVE. A good shepherd must have a heart. Love means being able to sacrifice yourself for others. Love is giving your life. When you say you love others it means you are not afraid to loss your life. To say an “I love you” means, I will fight for you. I will protect you, Nobody can harm you. I will be the first line of defense for you. Friends, are you a person of love? Second, a good shepherd is a good LEADER. Leadership is not about titles or deaignations but it is all about vision, inspiration, influence and responsibility. A good leader is the one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. Leadership is action not position. A good leader is a good guide, a person of courage. There is no sign of fear in a good shepherd. He will fight until the end. If you are a good leader you will protect and not neglect your people. Fight don’t flight! Finally a good shepherd is a person who LISTEN. Friends, a shepherd who don’t listen will eventually be sorrounded by people who uave nothing to say. Listen so that you will know your people. Tomorrow is our National Election day. Choose a candidate who exemplified the life of the Good Shepherd. It is not enough to be good, one must be a shepherd as well. In short, choose a candidate who has the heart (LOVE). Pick a candidate who has the brain (LEADER) and vote a candidate who has the ear. The one who has ability to LISTEN. By the way today is Mothers’s day. Mothers are the modern good shepherds of our time. Mothers are like good shepherds because they had the same smell like our smell. Let us pray to the Good Shepherd to send more mothers who are willing to give their children to be laborers in the vineyard of the Lord. Blessings Fr. Jhack

TO WHOM SHALL WE GO?

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter Year C John 6:60-69 “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.” Sometimes we too are like the disciples of the Lord. We abandon Him when convenience is absent. We murmur when we don’t understand. When comfort is gone, we deserted Him. When there is no more enjoyment and benefit of satisfaction, we turn our back to him. Will you also go away? We question the Lord when struggle is real. We doubted him when uneasiness of life is overwhelming us. Many times we failed to grasp His message because we cannot understand His will. The distortions of life prevents us to appreciate the truth about our God. Yet Jesus continue to reminds us: “My words are spirit and life. Anything else is of the flesh and profits nothing.” Are you leaving Him too? Prayer: Lord, sometimes I don’t understand you. Most of the time I turn my back to you. I questioned your will, I doubted your love and failed to follow you, but to whom shall I go, You have the words of eternal life. Lord, I will stay with You! Blessings Fr. Jhack